1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of e-mail security. More specifically, the present invention is related to a method and a system which use message splitting and allow sending and receiving of e-mails with an added level of protection.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
A commonly used resource in the field of communication is electronic mail or xe2x80x98e-mailxe2x80x99. Computer networks allow users in a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), for example, to communicate with one another using e-mail. E-mail messages usually contain text, but in addition can also have various types of file attachments. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that e-mail messages, although usually mentioned in the textual sense, can easily be extended to encompass video, images, voices, etc.
Senders and receivers of electronic mail rely on mail servers and gateways for processing the mail in-text format. Mail messages are stored, at least temporarily, on several machines and can be accessed by strangers. Free electronic mail service is offered by numerous companies with no guarantees. Electronic mail users who are concerned about privacy can encrypt the mail they send and ask that mail sent to them also be encrypted. But, most encryption techniques rely on the fact that the current hardware capabilities restrict an intruder from breaking the code. Mail servers can, in theory, save encrypted mail in their storage devices indefinitely until the technology enables breaking the code, i.e. discovering the key that was used for encrypting the mail. In particular, mail that was encrypted with a 40-bit key several years ago and has been kept by a server or a gateway machine, can now be deciphered. An even more severe problem is created if a decryption key is compromised for any reason, resulting in a large number of encrypted messages becoming exposed. To combat this problem, some existing systems rely on a third trusted party. But, most e-mail service providers (EMSP""s), as discussed below, encrypt e-mail optionally and thereby leave open the possibility of compromising security.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art Internet e-mail security system. In this configuration, a user (user A) who wants to send an e-mail to another user (user B) starts out first by connecting to the Internet 102 via their PC 100. Next, user A logs on to the E-Mail service provider or EMSPA (denoted EMSPA for E-Mail Service Provider for user A) 104 and types in the message. Finally, when user A directs the EMSPA to deliver the message, the EMSPA forwards it to the domain representative of the recipient. Optionally, the EMSPA may encrypt the message to be sent.
At the receiving end, the EMSP of user B or EMSPB 106 receives the e-mail message sent to them by user A and performs a decryption on the message. Whenever user B connects to the Internet 102 (via PC 108) and tries to access e-mail via EMSPB 106 they are shown their new e-mail from user A. There is always a possibility that the EMSP of both user A and user B are identical and in that instance, the step of forwarding e-mail to another EMSP (EMSPB 106 in this instance) is eliminated.
One problem with the prior art described above is the existence of technology enabling an intruder to break the code by discovering the key that was used for encrypting the e-mail. Therefore, there is clearly a need for a transparent system that would protects the privacy of e-mail users.
The following references describe prior art in the field of electronic mail and security. The prior art described below is very similar to the system described by FIG. 1, but none relate to the present invention""s method and system of splitting of messages in an e-mail environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,220 describes a method and apparatus for multi-channel communication security. The patent provides secure communication terminal adapters in conjunction with user terminals for splitting and recombining of private communications together with control services in an integrated services digital network (ISDN). The patent however, fails to mention encryption and security in an e-mail environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,854 provides for an alternative pulse inversion encoding scheme for serial data transmission. Data transmission includes splitting of data into first and second streams and combining them with a different polarity. The patent does not explicitly describe either encryption or an e-mail environment in which splitting of data occurs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,071 teaches an apparatus and method for processing data. Processing of image data is accomplished by passing the data through a splitter into a plurality of streams which are combined to form an output stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,606 discloses a system for parallel processing of complex read-only database queries using master and slave central processor complexes. Borden et al. describe a query processing system which includes a splitter/scheduler which splits query elements and recombines the results for transmission to the processor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,496 relates to a cool air feeding system for refrigerator. Kim et al. describe a transmission system in which the information is divided into groups of identification information and function information which are combined by the receiver.
In all the above described systems there is no mention of using splitting techniques for sending encrypted e-mail and as mentioned earlier, present e-mail techniques are limited by encryption and security codes that are subject to be compromised with advances in technology. Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above cited references, none of them achieve or fulfill the purposes of the present invention. The current invention reduces the opportunity of an intruder to break the encryption codes to read another user""s e-mail. This is accomplished by encrypting and splitting the e-mail into multiple messages; and transmitting each encrypted message through a unique EMSP. These and other objects are achieved by the detailed description that follows.
The present invention provides for a system for secure e-mail messaging. The invention uses message splitting and allows sending and receiving of e-mails with a measure of protection to the users who have installed it. Hence, the current system reduces the chances an intruder can compromise the encryption codes and read another user""s e-mail.
The method and a system comprises a plurality of steps, one or more said steps implemented locally or remotely across a network, wherein said system or steps of the system resides locally or remotely with the exclusion of the e-mail service provider. Encrypted e-mail to be sent is then broken into at least two fragments and the individual entities of the e-mail are then forwarded to the recipient via at least two unique e-mail service providers. At the receiving end, the system reconstructs and decrypts the original message from the individual pieces of e-mail so that the recipient can read the message. An intruder who just has knowledge of any one of the individual pieces of e-mail cannot decipher the message since the present invention makes it necessary for one to have all the pieces of the split e-mail to be able to decrypt and read it.